Zigzag mesh fabric



, Patented Aug. 15, 1933 ZIGZAG MESH FABRIC Theodore H. Wickwire, Jr.,New York, N. Y., as-

signor to Welded Fabrics Corporation, New York, N. Y., a Corporation ofNew York Application November 14, 1930 Serial No. 495,549

10 Claims.

My invention relates to an article of manufacture, namely a mesh fabric.For convenience and simplicity of disclosure, it is herein describedwith special reference to open mesh fabric of wire secured together atwire crossings by welding, and in the form of a continuous strip, butthe strands may be of other materials than wire, and the fabric madeself-sustaining by the strands thereof having their meeting surfacessecured together in other ways.

My fabric has neither warp nor woor" in the ordinary sense, but is madefrom a single set of continuous, laterally spaced, parallel strands.

In the case of strip fabric, the individual strands of the set arearranged in-zigzag formation from edge to edge of the strip width witheach one spaced ahead of the preceding one, so that the `legs orportions thereof cross to form a diamond mesh pattern, and such strands,if of wire, are preferably secured together at their crossings bywelding.

The process of and apparatus for producing wire mesh fabric inaccordance with my invention is not claimed herein, being a jointinvention of myself and Raymond J. Southwell, and covered by our jointapplications, Serial No. 495,598, led November 14, 1930, and Serial No.649,994, filed Jan. 3, 1933.

The invention will be best understood from the accompanying drawing andthe following description of al preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawing, the single ligure is a fragmentary diagrammatic planview `of a strip of fabric embodying my invention.

For simplicity of illustration, I have shown a strip of open mesh fabricmade up from a set of ten strands, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, z', and fi,comprising the zigzag legs al, a2, a3 il, i2, i3, etc., withintermediate edge bends or loops a12, b12, i12, 7'12 along one edge, andloops lo23, b23, 23, 7'23 along the other edge.

The width and spacing is preferably such that the edge loops are evenlyspaced along each edge of the strip, as by spacing the leg a3 the samedistance ahead of leg j 1 that there is between legs of the same fold orlay as al, b1, c1, etc.

When the fabric is formed, as is preferable, by recurrently laying orfolding inwardly the wires of the set from and to the two respectiveedges of the strip width, with a part of each lay or fold overlapping apart of the preceding lay or fold, a recurrent pattern is obtained inwhich the leading wire of the set, as wire a', is always on the underface of the fabric (when laidjat), whereas the rearmost or followingwire of the set, as wire a,

passes recurrently back and forth across the fabric on the upper sidethereof, and the intermediate wires i, h, g, etc., are disposed withparts of progressively decreasing length on the under face, and parts ofprogressively increasing length on 30 the upper face respectively, asindicated by dotted and full lines in the drawing. In this way each ofthe successive groups of strand portions extends angularly with respectto the preceding group and overlies same throughout substantially halfthe group area.

Fabric in accordance with my invention may be made use of in the formshown with spacedapart loops forming a selvage on each edge, oradditional selvage wires may be welded thereto if desired, or the wirestrip may be made of greater width and cut into narrower strips alongone or more longitudinal lines so as to have either one looped and onecut edge, or both edges may be cut and free of loops, as for example,this will be the case with the middle strip, if the original strip iscut longitudinally along two lines into three parts or strips, or crosscuts can be made if desired. By increasing the width of the fabric, thediamond-shaped interstices may S0 be lengthened crosswise of the fabricstrip, or varied in size and proportions in other ways. The Width of theset of strands is preferably at least as great as the width of the sheetof fabric, and by having the width of the set of strands substantiallytwice the sheet width, as shown in the drawing, square mesh fabric, asshown, can be produced.

The uses for my fabric are practically unlimited. When used in place ofthe customary hexagonal twisted mesh for wire glass reinforcement andother purposes, there is a considerable saving in the amount of wirenecessary to obtain the same size mesh with the same gage of wire, and amuch more regular and evenly formed and firmer mesh can be made thanwith wire twisted together.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, zigzag, unwoven, diamond-mesh sheetfabric consisting of a set of continuous laterally spaced strandsrecurrently laid or folded inwardly from the sheet edges, witheach-succeeding lay or fold on the same face of, and overlappingsubstantially half the area of, the preceding lay or fold, and madeSolft-sustaining by the strands having the meeting surfaces thereofdirectly secured together at points of crossing. l

2. Fabric in accordance with claim 1, and in 119 which the width of theset of strands is at least as great as the sheet width.

3. Fabric in accordance with claim 1, and in which the width of the setof strands is substantially twice the sheet width, and the mesh issubstantially square.

4. Fabric in accordance with claim 1, and in which the bends of thestrands between the lays or folds are in substantially straight lines atthe edges of the sheet.

5. Fabric in accordance with claim l, and in which the sheet width issubstantially half the width of the set of strands and the mesh issubstantially square and the bends in the strands between the lays orfolds are in substantially straight lines at the edges of the sheet.

6. As a new article of manufacture, zigzag, un- Woven, diamond-meshsheet fabric, consisting of a set of continuous laterally spacedmetallic strands recurrently laid or folded inwardly from the sheetedges, with each succeeding lay or fold on the same face of, andoverlapping substantial- 1 8. Fabric in accordance with claim 6, and in`which the width of the set of strands is substantially twice the sheetwidth, and the mesh is substantially square.

9. Fabric in accordance with claim 6, and in which the bends of thestrands between the lays or folds are in substantially straight lines atthe edges of the sheet.

10. Fabric in accordance with claim 6, and in which the sheet width issubstantially half the width of the set of strands and the mesh issubstantially square, and the bends in the strands between the lays orfolds are in substantially straight lines at the edges of the sheet.

THEODORE H. WICKWIRE, JR.

